By Anand Singh
New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS): Five officials of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have been awarded the Union Home Minister's Medal for Excellence in Investigation for solving some complex cases related to national security.
An NIA spokesperson said five NIA officers, who successfully solved the 2017 Jet hijacking case, Hizbul Mujahideen Module case of Assam's Hojai, Ambush on Assam Rifle patrol party of Fourth Assam Rifle, ISIS (Islamic State) Kanakamala Module case and KYKL Terror Funding case have been awarded the prestigious 'Union Home Minister's Medal for Excellence in Investigation' for 2020.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Vikram Mukundrao Khalate posted in Mumbai branch, who investigated the first ever case registered under the Anti-Hijacking Act 2016 in the country and secured conviction of the accused, is one of the recipients of the medal.
Dhan Ram Singh, Additional SP of the anti-terror probe agency posted in Guwahati, who investigated the case of ambush on 4th battalion of Assam Rifle (AR) in Chandel district of Manipur on November 15, 2017 was another recipient of the HM's Medal of Excellence.
The NIA spokesperson also said that Dhan Ram Singh also investigated the case of Hojai (Assam) module of Hizbul Mujahideen.
The third official to recieve the medal is A.P. Shoukkathali, Additional SP in Kochi branch, who investigated the 'Omar Al Hindi-Kanakamala ISIS Module case and arrested six accused from Kanakamala. The accused were involved in the conspiracy to carry out terrorist attacks on behalf of ISIS/Daish in South India.
C Radhakrishna Pillai, Deputy SP of NIA's Kochi branch is the fourth recipient of the medal. He has been awarded for investigating SIMI Wagamon Camp case.
The investigation of the case was a challenge as the accused were from different parts of the country and had camouflaged their identities, the NIA spokesperson said.
Anil Kumar, DSP NIA in New Delhi, is the fifth recipient of the medal. He has been awarded for investigating a case related to the activities of banned terror organisation KKYL in Manipur and West Bengal.
"Due to his contribution, associates and supporters of KYKL were identified and arrested, and NIA attached the proceeds of terrorism worth Rs 5 crore in the states of West Bengal and Assam," the spokesperson added.